Mantra singing to help heal anxiety

Written by Kirbanu + Excerpt by Annie Au

Mantra is a sacred prayer. It's a sacred chant using words that have been imbued overtime, sometimes over thousands of years, with intention, reverence and manifestation. Every mantra is an opportunity for us to turn within and focus on an element of the human experience that we wish to shine light on, unfold or understand in a deeper way. The repetition of mantra helps us to calm the mind, open the heart and enter into a communion with our higher nature, each other and the divine.

Singing mantras forms a great focus point for meditation, one of the main natural techniques we can use to combat anxiety. When we repeat a mantra aloud, the mind is forced to focus upon a single thing and we relax. We align our mind and emotions with the meaning of the mantra and we learn to surrender into the moment.

"In Traditional Chinese Medicine, imbalances in the Heart Meridian may cause anxiety. The diaphragm is connected to the heart organ via the pericardium sac, and is often tensed. Singing mantra helps release the diaphragm and restore love and compassion in our heart centre."- Annie Au Yoga

The act of singing helps us focus on what we're experiencing within our body: We hear the sound of our voice, we're aware of our mouth, tongue and lips shaping the form of the mantra, we feel a vivid bodily connection to the sensations that the mantra brings us, as we sing it, in that moment. When we combine this felt experience with our focus upon the meaning of the mantra, we offer ourselves an incredibly opportunity to self-nurture. We provide a loving, gentle healing to the part of ourselves that experiences anxiousness.

Overtime, as we develop our mantra singing practice, we begin to learn self-acceptance. We allow ourselves to be as we are, in the moment, with all our fears and anxiety. And we use these as fuel for our singing. This level of self-acceptance is transformative. We feel the gift within us of our own voice and the joy it brings to use our unique voice as an altar of worship to express mantras through.

Focus on your mouth sensation: How does the mantra feel in your mouth when you speak the words? Practice saying Om and focus entirely on the feeling it brings you in your mouth.

Focus on the sensation in your body: How does the mantra feel in your body when you speak the words? Practice saying Om and observe the feelings it brings you in your body. Is there a place where you feel it stronger than others?

Focus on the meaning of the mantra: What does the mantra stand for? What meaning does it have? And what does this mean to you? Think about it. Feel it. Be it.

Focus on the sound you hear: How do you hear your own voice singing the mantra? If you're in a group, how do you hear the voices of others singing the mantra?

If you are looking to improve your voice for yoga teaching and/or singing mantra, YOU ARE YOUR VOICE is the perfect course for you! Enjoy 10% off when you enter the code: ANNIESL003.

About Me:

I'm Kirbanu, an Australian voice empowerment coach, musician & mindfulness practitioner. I fuse vocal science with mindfulness techniques to teach people how to use their voices holistically and in empowering ways. Having performed over 500 concerts in 5 years and taught vocal workshops worldwide, I truly understand the necessity of being able to express ourselves clearly, with confidence and in a way that is in alignment with our mind and body. My deep passion is to share practical tools & techniques with you so that you too can experience the joy and confidence that a holistic connection with your own voice brings.

by Annie Au

In this modern world, we as human beings are often trapped in the pendulum of love and hate. As we may have experienced, the flip side of love is a raging river of anger and jealousy, flowing through us often unapologetically. Based on the meridian system in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), love flows through the Heart meridian while anger runs in the Liver meridian. When our Heart and Liver energies are balanced, we express compassion to all beings and are passionate about life. Conversely when energy stagnates in these channels, our heart and liver contract replacing love with explosive anger and irritation.

Interestingly, there is an essential muscle that connects the anatomical heart and liver in our body. This critical muscle is our diaphragm. The diaphragm is a dome-shaped sheet of muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen. It is the primary muscle that the body uses when breathing. The top part of the diaphragm is connected to a small sac called the pericardium, which protects and holds the heart in place. The bottom part of the diaphragm is connected to the liver. According to the meridian system, promoting healthy flow of energy in the actual organ as well as its orbs of energetic influence is absolutely crucial in maintaining health and wellness.

The heart sits on top of the diaphragm, while the liver is tucked under the diaphragm on the right side under the rib cage.

Twisting postures help release tension in the diaphragm. Sequentially, by releasing the diaphragm, we also indirectly massage and soften the heart and liver. As you try out these poses, visualize all the negative thoughts and emotions exiting the body. In return, the vacated negative emotions are replaced by contentment and joy.

Reclining twists (5 minutes per side)

Lie down on your back and shift the pelvis to the right slightly. Draw the right knee towards the chest and slowly bring it to left side of the body. Keep the right arm parallel to the shoulder and the head facing the ceiling.

*Keep the head facing the ceiling helps prevent blood stop in the arteries along the neck. This is especially important in yin yoga practice where we hold a posture for several minutes.

Hold for 5 minutes and repeat on the other side.

Cat Pulling Its Tail (5 minutes per side)

Lie down on your back and shift the pelvis to the right slightly. Draw the right knee towards the chest and slowly bring it to left side of the body. Bend the left knee and kick it back towards the buttock. Hold the left ankle with your right hand. Use a strap if necessary.

Hold for 5 minutes and repeat on the other side.

Restorative Side Twist (6-8minutes per side)

This posture is more restorative than Yin. Sit sideways like a mermaid. Place a bolster or pillow against the hip. Slowly twist the torso towards the bolster and lay down on it. This is a more gentle twist and can hold for several minutes.

Hold for 6-8 minutes and repeat on the other side.

You can infuse these postures in your regular yoga practice or practice 1-2 postures above before bed.

How to be more forgiving through your meditation practice

Forgiving a person for something that they did wrong can either be very easy or extremely difficult, it all depends on the situation. For example, forgiving your spouse because they forgot to buy milk is a lot easier than having to forgive a cheating partner.

Quite simply, the act of forgiving might not always be easy, however, regardless of other's actions, forgiveness can be a very important step to take in order to move on to the next stage in your life.

Fortunately, regular meditation nurtures mindfulness, as well as a host of other qualities including gratitude, which in return goes hand in hand with forgiveness.

Let's take a closer look at how being mindful through meditation can help you to be become a more forgiving person and how you can incorporate a short forgiveness practice in your everyday routine.

Name it

Identifying the source of your anger is the first step on your journey of forgiveness. It is difficult to forgive if you don’t know who to forgive and why.

With the help of meditation and being mindful of the situation you can clear up the question of who and why. Write it down in order to make it even clear if needed.

Flip your focus

Meditation creates a space where you are able to process all of the relevant information in your mind without any outside influence or judgment.

Over reaction and premature assumptions are often times the main causes of anger.

Place yourself in the other parties shoes, try to understand why the acted the way they did. Understanding their point of view, or their way of thinking will go a long way in the process of forgiveness.

Take action (baby steps are ok)

Confronting the person that wronged you can be very intimidating, taking action doesn’t imply that you have to do this, start small instead.

Take action by doing small deeds that empower you.

Regular mindfulness meditation is a great example of how to take action and empowering yourself. It is a lot easier to forgive when you feel empowered and confident within yourself.

Find meaning through your pain

With the help of mindfulness meditation it is possible to find meaning through your pain.

Through meditation you are able to think about your pain in a clear and objective space and learn from what went wrong, you might find that this will foster empathy and understanding in the long run.

Guided forgiveness meditation practice:

Step 1 - Think of someone who has caused you harm, or someone that you may hold a grudge against.

Step 2 - Visualize the time that you were hurt by this person, feel the pain and emotions that this hurt brought about

Step 3 - Be aware of how you body starts to feel, focus on your anxiety levels, heart rate etc.

Step 4 - Now ask yourself the question, who is really suffering from this? Is it you? Or is it the person that you are holding the grudge against?

Step 5 - Are you ready to forgive this person and remove this pain from your heart and mind? It is ok if the answer is no, but if you are ready then acknowledge this pain and also acknowledge to yourself that you are willing to forgive and free yourself from this burden.

Author - Charlie Morley

Charlie enjoys both yoga and meditation and incorporating both as part of his morning routine is something that he strives for everyday. Outside of work, Charlie enjoys sports and other social gatherings. Follow his spiritual journey at Kenshō way.

3 Ways to Overcome Anxiety During Your Yoga Practice

It may seem ironic that doing yoga can trigger anxiety. Around the world, millions of people are practicing yoga to find peace in their body and mind. However, the true nature of the yoga practice is like a sacred mirror to our internal landscape. Suppressed emotions begin to unravel as we twist and fold our body, and anxiety can occur if we’re unable to cope with these surging emotions.

It’s true, anxiety plagues me during yoga. The feeling of breathlessness overwhelms my entire being. I have to stop. I look out for the teacher hoping that she would notice. Or not. I’m not sure. I feel helpless and at the same time ashamed. Why should I feel anxious at all? It’s just a yoga class after all. As I bend into paschimottasana (a very intense seated forward fold), as my chest compresses into my thighs, it’s only a matter of seconds that I’d burst into tears or anger. Whichever it is, these uninviting emotions have been lurking in the darkness of my subconscious mind for months or perhaps years now. Anxiety, if only I knew is just a play of the cosmic mind, I’d be free from years of heartache and heaviness. How is it that I’ve tried to escape the entrapment of my own emotions, seeking solace in this spiritual practice that promises mankind liberation, yet to find myself consumed with anxiety on my yoga mat?

That was my internal monologue in 2012. That year marked the beginning of my spiritual journey. I had just completed my first 200hr yoga teacher training. The training was arduous to say the least. It taught me to stretch my body in different ways and more importantly to extend my mind beyond my limited beliefs. But what seems to stay unchanged was my battle with anxiety. I suffered from anxiety since I was 19. It started off as short bouts of difficult breathing especially after drinking or if I was very tired. I shook it off hoping it was just a transition, I was 19 after all, and coming into adulthood was not an easy task I told myself. However, my episodes ensued and at 20 I was hospitalized. Being hospitalized had shown me how debilitating anxiety was. I was afraid to drink, to watch suspenseful movies, to be in a hot room...the list went on. My mind had reduced me to live life in what felt like a square inch of space, a space which I struggled to thrive in.

Fast-forwarding to now, almost 7 years later. I now teach yin yoga teacher trainings and workshops around the world. I have given talks about the functions and the mischievousness of the mind. Despite my practice in meditation and yoga, anxiety still gets a hold of me every now and then. Unlike in the past, the anxiety that I experience now is more like an ex-boyfriend whom you’ve tried to block out of your life for many years, but once in awhile he pops up out of nowhere, and the faint memories of that relationship linger albeit annoyingly. Luckily, I no longer identify with my anxious thoughts, but rather, I observe them like a spectator at the zoo- that wild one called the Mind is one wondrous animal.

Over the years, I have come up with ways to overcome anxiety especially during a yoga class. These methods are derived from my personal trials and studies. With no empirical evidences, I share them with you hoping that they would serve you somehow somewhere.

1. Ease into the pose

I used to see yoga poses as a means to an end. I rush into the postures like jumping into a bath not knowing the water’s temperature. Sometimes a posture gives me immense joy and a sense of release, and other times (especially in hip openers) I land myself in deep waters unable to bear the feelings of suffocation. How we do the poses are way more important than achieving the poses. Check in with your feelings as you mindfully ease into the posture. If the sensation of anxiousness arises, instead of deepening or coming out of the pose, take a pause but try to stay in it. The moment of stillness gives you a chance to take control of the mind and restore calmness. Afterwards, with honesty and compassion, you can choose to stay or release the posture.

“How we do the poses are way more important than achieving the poses.”

2. Take deep breaths

Anxiety triggers the body to activate the sympathetic nervous system (also known as the fight-or- flight response). It doesn’t matter if you’re in real physical danger or just trying to put your legs behind your head in yoga nidrasana, when the body is in a fight or flight mode, it triggers a cascade of responses to help you cope. These responses include an increase in heart rate and secretion of the stress hormone called cortisol. Breathing can help you manipulate your nervous system. By deepening your breath, you can trick the body to convert to the parasympathetic state also known as the rest-and-digest system.

3. Develop a positive association with triggering yoga poses

Associating a positive image or mantra can help ease your anxiety when practicing triggering yoga poses. For me, forward folds are my nemesis. However, instead of avoiding them, I consciously picture a positive image like the symbol of Om or reciting the Gayatri mantra silently while I practice forward folds. Over time, you’ll feel neutral or even become fond of these particular yoga postures.

These 3 strategies have helped me to remain calm when feeling anxious during my yoga practice. I hope these methods will also help you in finding tranquility on your yoga mat.

20-Minute Guided Yoga Nidra For Deep Relaxation

Do you have a hard time sleeping?

A good night sleep is important for balancing our hormones, regulate muscle repair, and calm the nervous system.

Yoga Nidra or Yogic Sleep is the best way to promote deep relaxation in the body and mind. This guided meditation allows you to release any hidden tensions, softening your thoughts, and slowly bring you into a deep state of relaxation. It is believed that Yoga Nidra is even more effective than conventional sleeping.

If you're looking for ways to relax and let go of stresses, this 20-minute guided Yoga Nidra video is for you!

If you know of anyone who would benefit from this video, don't forget to forward it to them! Also feel free to share this video on social media. :-)

“If the problem can be solved why worry? If the problem cannot be solved worrying will do you no good.”

― Master Shantideva

When was the last time you worried? Perhaps last night? This morning? Or a few seconds ago? As purported by many scientific researches, humans are designed by nature to be fearful. This is logical as fear encourages us to be cautious, to run away from predators or to preserve food for an unexpected famine. However, as we progress in time, many of our worries are based less on real life danger, but rather on hypothetical stories that run incessantly in our minds.

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), sickness can be caused by blocked emotional expression or prolonged/ intense emotional stimulation. These emotions may include anger, worry, fear, sadness, and mania. The concept and practical use of Chinese meridian system distinguishes Chinese medicine from other ancient healing modalities. Out of the twelve regular meridians, the Spleen/Stomach meridians are associated with worrying, as well as emotions like remorse, regret, obsessiveness, self-doubt, and suspicion. Commonly, when energy stagnant in these two meridians, you are likely to over-worry about things that may not have any tangible connections in your reality.

Yin poses help relief energy blockages throughout the body. The mechanism behind is similar to how water runs through a garden hose in your backyard. Just like pinching a garden hose with water running inside, the water pressure would increase behind the pinched spot. Upon release, the water forcefully pushes forward, carrying with it any toxic residue that may have lined the inside of the hose. Comparatively, while holding a yoga posture, the compressive or tensile force created in the body pinches the flow of energy in the meridians. After a few minutes as you come out of the pose, the energy is also released removing any energy stagnation in the channels.

If you’re a constant worrier, here are the top 3 poses you should do to help clear your worries away:

1. Sphinx/Seal- Hold for 3-5 minutes

Start by laying on your stomach and place the elbows under the shoulder. Place the feet together or slightly apart, relax the legs. Slowly sink the chest and shoulders downward. You may feel slight to medium compression in the low back and tension in the chest and stomach.

To intensify the posture, go to Seal by lifting the elbows off the floor. Adjust the pressure in the low back by walking your hands closer or further away from the hips.

If you feel any sharp pain or numbness, go back to Sphinx or release the posture completely.

2. Saddle- Hold for 3-5 minutes

Sitting on your knees or in hero pose (see picture), slowly walk the hands behind you on the floor as you lean back. Stop once you feel tension in the thighs and hip flexors. If you feel a lot of sensation in the low back, place a block or bolster under the spine for support. Only go as deep into the pose as you can breathe comfortably.

3. Melting Heart (Anahatasana)- Hold for 3 minutes

This pose is a gentle opening for the upper and mid back. Start on your hands and knees, slowly walk your hands forward until the chin or the chest touches the floor. You can place a block under the chin or forehead for support. The hips can be slightly forward or behind the knees. You may feel slight to medium sensations in the shoulders. You can also widen the arms to see if it softens the pressure in the shoulders. Note: If you feel any tingling or numbness in the arms, come out of the posture slowly as you might be experiencing nerve/blood vessel compression.

Your Emotional Self-Care Guide in Yin Yoga

Yin yoga is not just a physical practice. Often when practicing Yin yoga, we can traverse deep into our emotional processing that no other styles of yoga can take us to.

Why is that?

First of all, Yin yoga forces us to be still. And for some people, this stillness can be excruciatingly painful. Quite often when we are dealing with unresolved emotions (such as anger and sadness), we tend to pack our schedule with activities, appointments, chores and so on to occupy our minds to avoid confronting our emotional discomforts. Secondly, when holding a posture for a long time (like we do in Yin), we stimulate the energetic channels also known as meridians throughout the body. This consistently held pressure in the meridians act like acupressure and ultimately removes energetic stagnation in the channels upon release of the pose. Energetic stagnation can manifest in physical forms such as body pains, headaches, insomnia, and indigestion; or the stagnation can transform into negative emotions like jealousy, frustration, indecisiveness, paranoia, and depression.

Our well-buried emotions can surface up in different ways. Here are a few examples:

- An unexpected but intense emotional reaction such as anger, sadness, fear, and anxiety.

- A special memory or image from the past flashing before you. This memory/image can be something from childhood, past relationships, or a dream.

- You feel claustrophobic, nauseous, or anxious and feel the need to escape your practice.

- Uncontrollable crying and often the cause is unknown or from unresolved past relationships/events.

- You may feel an insurmountable sense of fear as if your life is threatened.

These are just a few of the many examples that you may experience during a Yin yoga practice. It is important to know that even the smallest hint of unease feeling deserves your attention. It is an opportunity to scope into your internal landscape- a reflection of your emotional wellbeing.

So now, the question is- what should you do when you experience an intense emotional release during practice? Below are a few suggestions that can help with your emotional processing:

1. Journaling

Writing down what you felt during the practice helps you remember and reflect later on. Describe in details what sort of feelings came up in practice- was it sadness, terror, frustration, or grief? Did you recall any special memory such as from childhood or a significant moment from your adolescent/adulthood? After a few entries, you may discover a pattern, and you can use the pattern to navigate what is it from the past or the present you are suppressing.

2. Acupressure, Qi Gong or Massage Therapy

Often we can clear up energetic stagnation through touch and sound. Acupressure and massage therapy are excellent ways to calm the body and restore mental peace. You should seek a well-trained therapist with whom you feel safe and connected to. As well, Qi Gong is a subtle Chinese energy practice that helps cultivate positive energy, increase blood circulation and sharpen mental focus. Qi Gong also uses sound vibration to release negative emotions.

3. Nature Walk

Taking a walk in nature helps bring balance in our body and mind. The fresh air and new perspective help us expand our mental horizon and ease our mind from obsessive thinking. As you take a leisurely stroll in nature, examine in details your surroundings and enjoy the present moment.

4. Nourishing food and plenty of sleep

It takes a tremendous amount of energy for emotional processing. Nourish yourself with nutritious food/drinks and get plenty of sleep. Avoid cold food/drinks, spicy food, coffee, and alcohol.

5. Solitude

After an intense release, you might feel extremely sensitive to people, light, smell, and sound. As best as you can, spend some time alone in silence. Witness your thoughts, body sensations, and feelings without any disruptions. Practicing silence is a great way to restore energy and gain a new perspective on our state of being.

Although the experience of emotion releases can be uncomfortable, nonetheless, it’s a golden opportunity for us to release any suppressed negativity. In Chinese medicine, diseases come from repressed emotions. Our emotional health is vital for living a long and healthy life. Yin yoga is an excellent gateway in finding balance from the inside out.

Love & Freedom: Finding Our Way Back Through Yin Yoga.

Practicing yin yoga is a way for us to delve into our inner beings. When the world is spinning fast, lost in the currents, we can find our way back through yin.

Take a look around us, what do you see? For me, I see people frantically filling their empty hearts with careers, properties, relationships, marriages and children. Is it not the way society has honed us in becoming, in pursuing? Is it not we can make our parents proud when we bring home another master or PHD degree, with a few more letters behind our names? Whatever the norm is, have you ever stop to wonder, what is the meaning behind all this?

From Krishnamurti, to discover the meaning behind this thing called life, we must discover what it is we love to do with our whole being. By discovering what we love to do, love that exudes from the innermost core of our existence, it is then we can be free. But then the question comes, what does it mean to be free? Is it to have many choices? Is it to exercise our free will and choose whatever our hearts desire? Let’s explore that a little here. Do we ever feel completely free when we’re presented with numerous choices? If you have come across such an experience, I would suspect the answer is no. When we find ourselves in a place to choose from many, we are everlastingly conflicted inside. How do we know which is the best choice? How do we ever know the one that we’ve picked will be the one we want tomorrow, the next day, or forever?

A man who loves does not do whatever he likes. It is love alone that leads to right action. What brings order in the world is to love and let love do what it will.

— Krishnamurti

Note that when Krishnamurti refers to man, he means humanity as a whole. When our hearts are filled with love, we automatically choose the right actions. Actions of selfless order, actions of infinite compassion. To truly love is to ask for nothing in return and to love with our entire essence. As you’re resting in your yin pose, look inwardly to see what is stopping you from love. Is it fear? Fear of losing your ideals, the picture perfect you have created since you can remember. Or is it fear of allowing yourself to be you?

Take a moment once in a while, to find out what is it you love to do. To find out what you really love to do requires a great deal of insight. So at least in a span of a few yin poses, drop your voices of insecurities and really listen, listen to what your heart has to tell you.

Based on the holistic approach, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) sees the sleep-wake cycle as a dynamic yet integral flow between the Yin and Yang. The Vital Axis states: “When Yang Qi is at its limit and Yin Qi is abundant, one’s eyes are closed. When Yin Qi is at its limit, and Yang Qi is abundant, one is awake.” Essentially, we naturally sleep at the Yin predominate time (night) while awake during the day when it is predominantly the time of the Yang energy.

Although there are many variables, there are two main Chinese meridians that can disturb our sleep:

Heart Meridian

In TCM, the Heart’s function is to circulate the blood and control the blood vessels, as well as to regulate the mind. As well, the sleep-wake cycle is part of Shen (spirit) activities. Shen refers to thought, state of consciousness and mental functions that keep the mind sharp and alert. It is believed that Shen resides in the heart and when it is too excited, for example during an emotional conflict like heartbreak and argument, sleep problems occur.

Liver Meridian

The Liver’s primary functions are to control the amount of blood in circulation and to create a harmonious, unrestricted flow of Qi (energy) throughout the body. A healthy liver facilitates sleeping rhythms, ensures proper vision and allows our emotions to be in appropriate balance.

Here is a 30-minute sequence you can do on your bed before sleep, give it a try tonight!

Butterfly (Hold 5 minute and rest 1 minute)

From a seated position, place the soles of your feet together. Gently fold forward as you let the spine round and soften. You can rest your hands on your feet or the floor in front of you. Simply relax your head toward your heels or place a block underneath the forehead for more support.

If your feet are closer to the pubic region, you will feel a more intense sensation in the groin area. Or you can also try sliding your feet further away from you and see how the sensation would disperse along the inner thighs. Both are correct, so choose the one that is more suitable for you.

Wall-Dragon Fly (Hold 5 minute and rest 1 minute)

Place your legs on the wall and slowly open them to the side until you feel a mild sensation in the inner thighs. Try your best to wiggle your buttock right up against the wall. Gravity will slowly open your legs, so relax the body and mind as much as possible.

When coming out of the pose, use your hands to help bring the legs back up. You can keep the legs together and rest them against the wall.

Wall-Funky Chair (Hold 5 minute and rest 1 minute)

Stay against the wall after Dragonfly. To enter wall Funky Chair, slide your hips slightly away from the wall, bend your knees and place the soles of the feet on the wall. Keep the knees at 90 degrees. As if you’re sitting on a chair, cross the right ankle over the left thigh. You may feel some sensations along the right outer hip and right inner groin.

Practice on both sides for 5 minutes and take a 1-minute rest afterward. To rest, you can come out all the way and lie down on your bed or simply prop the legs up against the wall.

Caterpillar (Hold 5 minute and rest 1 minute)

Extend your legs in front and slowly fold forward with a relaxed spine. You can place a pillow under the belly or the forehead for extra support. You can also sit on the edge of a cushion to help tilt the pelvis forward.

Meditation: Seated or Lying Down (6 minutes)

After completing the poses, find an easy seated or lying down posture for meditation. A simple but effective meditation technique is called Anapanasati (Mindfulness of Breathing). Anapanasati is most commonly practiced with attention focused on the breath, without any effort to change the breathing. Start by slowly inhaling and exhaling through the nose. Sustain an even count for both inhale and exhale (for example, inhale for three counts and exhale for three counts.) Try your best to focus only on the breathing and see how the chatters of the mind slowly fade away.